


Detective Soulmate

by honeypressed



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Assault, Blood and Injury, Detective!Jisung, Implied/Referenced Assault, Injury, Interactive Novel, M/M, Major Character Injury, Minor Violence, Multiple Endings, Non-Graphic Violence, Reader-Interactive, Serious Injuries, Soulmates, Violence, i did no research about this and you can probably tell, minor fluff, not romance focused, uh some endings are kinda short im sorry in advance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:07:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeypressed/pseuds/honeypressed
Summary: "Do you want to take this case on?" Chan asks him, waving a file full of papers. "I understand if you don't want to, we've been so swamped with cases lately. I can always find someone else.""Well..."Should he take the case? Or not?(the choice is yours.)
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 28
Kudos: 30





	1. Start

**Author's Note:**

> hello hello!! 
> 
> please note that this interactive novel is of the horror/thriller genre. there are multiple depictions of injuries/death/assault of varying degrees of graphicness and therefore please do be careful when you read the chapters. i will tag warnings at the start of each chapter, so please do note those warnings before you start reading the chapter.
> 
> the karma points listed at the beginning of each chaper is a good indication of what kind of ending you're heading towards! you start off with '-' karma points, which simply means you have not made any decisions yet. karma points will then be indicated as positive (+), negative (-), or simply '0', which means that the choice you made negates any positive/negative actions you took before! higher positive karma = a better ending; higher negative karma = a worse ending, so keep an eye out for the karma points and try to get the ending you want to reach! 
> 
> a tip i have for this gameplay would be to think of safety if you want to reach a good ending. for example, if you have to choose between going alone or waiting for backup, if you want better karma, choose waiting for backup as that means more safety. of course, you can just play by trial and error - which is the charm of interactive novels! each different choice often have different details and so leads the story to unfold in different ways and lead to different endings~
> 
> there are seven endings in total - two good, two neutral, and three bad. you might think "op this is Unfair this is a 29% chance of getting a good ending" but i purposefully made fewer good endings bc hey i like a challenge <33 another reason for more bad endings is that this story is originally supposed to be an angsty ending, but even the original ending i planned for was too much and too heavy for me to write and leave it that way, so i thought an interactive novel would be fun, and even if you obtained the bad endings, you could always retrace your steps/go back to the beginning and try to get a good ending!! 
> 
> please don't select 'next chapter' like you usually would for a normal multichap fic~ instead, please click on the links at the bottom of each chapter as it leads you to the chapter based on what decision that you make!
> 
> but enough rambling from me!!! again, a tl;dr from me would be to 1. read the warnings, 2. watch your karma points, and 3. enjoy!!! i will have an ending note concluding everything in the final chapter (which is the chapter for the Worst Ending) so head on over there after you finish your play if you want to~ happy playing <33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions of assault, descriptions of injuries

[Thursday, 09:00]

[Karma Points: -]

“There’s been a new case that’s just come in like ten minutes ago,” Chan says, banging in through Jisung’s door and catching the door before it can slam against the wall like it always does. “Oops, sorry about your door. Anyway - new case, physical assault on a man in Boda Alley but the suspect hasn’t been arrested yet. Do you want to take the case? It shouldn’t take too long.”

“You’re causing a ruckus,” Jisung says, but stands up and reaches for the files that Chan is holding. “Boda Alley, you say? Where’s the victim?”

“He’s in the nearby hospital being treated for his injuries, we haven’t received news on his condition yet,” Chan replies, taking a seat in front of Jisung’s desk. “You’ve got like, two hours before the victim is ready for an interview, so I think you could take a look at some leads because they’re trying to pinpoint the exact location of the crime scene.”

“Are you coming with me then?” Jisung asks, flicking through the files. There’s a transcript of the conversation an officer had with the victim that he’ll have to look through, and some photos of the victim’s injuries. 

“I have a meeting,” Chan says apologetically, “so I’ll need to get back to you later on that. This means you’ll take the case on, right?” 

“Yeah,” Jisung replies, “I will. I’m going to look through the files before I head out, I’ll call you before I head out?” 

“Sure,” Chan says, stands up and exits Jisung’s office again. “If I don’t reply -”

“- Then you’re busy, I know, I know,” Jisung interrupts, rolling his eyes. “You always say that, hyung. Shoo, off to your meeting. I have a case to solve.” 

“Rude,” Chan says, then leaves before Jisung can get another word in. This leaves Jisung to scowl at his closed office door before he sits down again and decides to take a proper look at the files that Chan had so kindly retrieved for him. 

The files are pretty barebones. There’s just the conversation and photos that he saw from before, with some additional transcripts of the people who found the victim and reported the assault. There’s nothing much that he can work with, and the transcripts of the people who found the victim are thin in leads; even the conversation of the officer with the victim doesn’t yield much, but he supposes he’ll get more answers when he gets to personally interview the victim. 

“Name… Lee Minho, twenty-six years old,” Jisung mutters to himself under his breath. “Injuries include multiple stab wounds to his abdomen among others… god, this is really bad.” 

Deciding that he might as well get up on his feet and start heading over to the general location of where the victim was found, Jisung shoves the file into his bag and grabs at his phone and wallet before he heads out. He bids a quick goodbye to the receptionist and makes sure to sign out indicating where he’s gone - he refuses to get into trouble with HR again, god knows that was a headache - and hurries to the parking lot. 

Boda Alley isn’t that far away, but it is far away enough that Jisung isn’t willing to risk walking over there, not when it looks like it was getting ready to rain. He starts the engine and runs over the few details of the case that he has in his head. 

Surely this case would turn out to be a case involving grievous bodily harm? With the description of those wounds, Jisung can’t imagine someone just getting into a fight and inflicting those injuries; it sounds so bad that he’s convinced there must be malice in the assault - but that isn’t for him to prove. 

His job is just to find out who the culprit is and hope that he can help bring justice to the victim. 

It takes maybe ten minutes to get to the residential blocks where Boda Alley is located, and he slots his car into a nearby parking lot before quickly making his way over to the alley. Already, there are is a team of investigators crowding the area and setting up caution tape to cordon the alley off. 

“You’re here, Detective Han,” An officer calls. “Good timing too, we’ve just started our investigation here.”

“What’s the news then?” 

“The victim - Lee Minho-ssi - was found here by passersby who called for an ambulance, and then helped him to report the assault. We aren’t sure where the actual crime was committed yet, and Lee-ssi was too out of it to remember yet.”

“So we’re pretty low on leads is what you’re saying?”

“Can’t say that, it’s not part of the recent policy. We’re supposed to say that we are ‘actively working on the case and ensuring that all accounts are taken into consideration’... but yeah we’re low on leads without Lee-ssi’s help.”

Jisung has to suppress a laugh. “Thought so. But we can work with what we have, we’ve done so with even less information than we have. We don’t have anything on what the culprit looks like yet, right?”

There’s barely a moment in which the team can provide any more scant information before there’s a sudden and strong phantom pull on his torso that pushes him off balance for a second; the movement is so abrupt that all eyes turn onto him, and he can’t help but groan at the timing of it all.

“Fuck,” Jisung curses, feeling the beginnings of a Pull towards his right, away from where the team has gathered. “Fuck, this _cannot_ be happening now.” 

“Oh, are you having Pulls?” An investigator asks curiously. “If you are I don’t think we can continue the case for now…”

“I can,” Jisung insists. “It’s just a Pull. I’m sure it’ll fade, it’s happened in the past.”

“Oh, Pulls can happen at any time?” Another detective asks, and Jisung can tell he’s a rookie detective, just based off on how young he looks and also how curious he seems about Jisung being Pulled. 

“Yeah,” Jisung says, and decides he can spend five minutes explaining everything to this baby-faced rookie detective. “But it means your soulmate has to be near you in order for the Pulls to start. You know about the fifteen minute delay, right?” 

The rookie nods. “Yeah! It’s like - one person will be going around their day and their soulmate will also take that same path, but delayed by fifteen minutes… so they might never meet each other.” 

“You’ve been listening in class,” Jisung says admiringly. “I never did, so good for you. You’re right, there’s the delay of fifteen minutes so you might never ever meet your soulmate unless you guys help to find each other. But the fifteen minutes is based on - _fuck,_ stop Pulling! - based on how close you are to your soulmate. You’ll only be Pulled if you’re close to your soulmate.” 

“Which means Detective Han’s soulmate is close,” Another detective chimes in, grinning. “Usually once Pulls start they continue for a while, and get stronger for like an hour before it stops. Which means…”

“Don’t think about it, Detective Seo,” Jisung says grimly. “I have a case to solve, I can’t be running after Pulls.” 

“You’re not going to be able to stop it,” Detective Seo points out, and he does have a fair point.

The Pull is getting a lot stronger now, and Jisung’s feet are already sliding towards the direction of the Pull. It won’t be long before he _has_ to follow the Pull, but he also needs to solve this case, and he’s worried the Pull means that the trail will go cold.

[[Resist and return to examining the case](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/64949668)]

[[Give in and follow the trail](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/64949731)]


	2. Resist

[09:20]

[Karma Points: -1]

“I need to work on the case,” Jisung says firmly, and resolutely ignores the strong Pull he’s feeling on his body. “The case is more important than me finding my soulmate right now.”

“If you say so, detective,” Detective Seo says, eyeing him. There’s something in his voice that tells Jisung that he doesn’t think Jisung will be able to resist the Pull any longer; Jisung makes a face back at the detective and doubles down on his resolve to not follow his Pull.

There are maybe ten minutes in which Jisung successfully resists the pull before he does have to indeed admit defeat. 

“I told you,” Detective Seo says with the most smug grin on his face that Jisung wants to smack off. “Shoo, Detective Han. You won’t be of any use to the investigation if you’re being pulled here and there by your soulmate. Take the hour off and follow the Pull.”

“You’ll contact me right?” Jisung asks, does his best not to shoot off running in the opposite direction where his feet are screaming at him to go. “I still want to help with the case, I’ll try and see if I can spot anything wherever I’m going.”

“We will, don’t worry. You’ve got an hour and a half until Lee-ssi is ready to be interviewed. We’ll call you if there are any updates or new leads to the case. Now _go_ , detective, before you get injured because your Pull won’t stop. You should learn to give and take some things, you know.”

“Whatever,” Jisung grumbles, then can’t say anything else because his legs immediately takes him out of the alley and into the nearby residential district. He’s left the Pull long enough that he’s almost rushing through the streets and it takes a good few minutes of him avoiding obstacles as best as he can before his feet slow down and the Pull calms. 

_Never leave a Pull so late again_ , He reminds himself, _even if I’m working_. God, why did Pulls even exist? They were just a nuisance sometimes, even if it meant there was a chance that he might meet his soulmate.

Now he’s walking along a main street, lined on both sides by blocks and blocks of apartments and it seems like he’s walking towards the end of the street where some convenience and grocery stores are located. 

_It’s strange I got a Pull while I was working on this case though… it would be too much of a coincidence for my soulmate to be involved in this case, right?_ Jisung continues to convince himself otherwise as he walks along the street, because he’s heading _away_ from Boda Alley, which means that his soulmate probably wasn’t involved in any of this commotion.

He’s just about ready to run down the street to follow the damn Pull when something catches his eye. 

The late morning sun, glinting off shards of broken glass bottles at the corner of what seems like a darkened alleyway. There is something pulling him towards the broken glass shards, and the reflection of the sunlight is almost hypnotising as he walks closer and closer to the corner where it leads into the alley. The broken bottles are shards of glass that lead further into the darkened alleyway, and Jisung can’t make anything out in the alleyway beyond a few steps, and he’s sure the glass leads right in. 

Should he enter the alleyway? Could this trail of broken glass shards be the lead that they’re looking for in the case? After all, he did promise the officers that he would be on the lookout for more leads even while he was on the Pull. 

And that was the problem - the Pull wasn’t leading him into this alleyway where he had stopped. It was leading him down the street, towards the convenience stores, and it felt like it was soon fading too. 

Jisung reads the name of the alleyway; _Gwangdae Side Street_.

[[Follow the Pull towards the end of the street ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/64949917)]

[[Follow the trail of broken glass bottles into the alley ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/64949992)]


	3. Give In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions of assault

[09:20]

[Karma Points: +1]

“You’re right,” Jisung says, sighing. “I’m not going to be able to stop the Pull. This is ridiculous, having a Pull on a case.” 

“The Pull doesn’t care,” Detective Seo points out. “You have the department number, call us when your Pull is finished and you can work on the case again. I don’t think you’ll miss anything because the interview with Lee-ssi is in an hour and a half.”

“I better not miss anything,” Jisung grumbles. “See you later, I guess I’m off to find my soulmate and give them the scolding of a lifetime.” 

With the sound of a gaggle of investigators returning to searching the alley, Jisung lets his feet take him out of the alley and into the nearby residential blocks. The Pull is still slightly erratic, so Jisung doesn’t quite know if this was the same exact road that his soulmate took approximately fifteen minutes ago. It’s late in the morning, and quiet everywhere around him - where would his soulmate have been heading to? 

It takes a few steps for the thought to occur to him. 

_Wouldn’t my soulmate have been around this area when the assault occurred?_

Jisung shakes his head and puts that thought out of his mind. It would be too much of a coincidence for his soulmate to be around this area where the assault occurred, let alone the fact that consider the chances that his soulmate might be _involved_ in the assault. 

The Pull gets a lot more steady now, and he’s well into the residential district as he follows the Pull. The details of the case is still plaguing his mind as he lets the Pull take care of where he’s heading. 

Why would there be such a serious case of assault in this residential district? Sure, he’s dealt with assault cases that happened under similar circumstances but Jisung can’t help but feel as if there’s something more… sinister about this particular case. 

_Did Lee Minho-ssi have someone out for him? What has he done that someone could be out to hurt him like this? Or am I just overthinking everything and this is just a straightforward assault case?_

He’s got too much on his brain, and his legs still have a mind of their own. Letting his feet take him towards the direction of the Pull, he realises he’s ending towards the end of a residential street and what looks like some grocery and convenience stores.

Even though he’s being made to head towards the end of the street, he can’t help but notice there’s a trail of what seems like broken glass bottles leading towards a darkened alleyway. The broken glass bottles certainly aren't in the same direction as where his Pull is guiding him towards… but this could be a lead that he needed to find the culprit of the assault case. After all, broken glass bottles in a darkened alley could be exactly what he was looking for.

Yet, his Pull is guiding him towards the end of the street, not into this dim alleyway that reads as _Gwangdae Side Street_.

[[Follow the Pull towards the end of the street](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/64949917)]

[[Remain on the trail of broken glass bottles](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/64949950)]


	4. End of the Street

[09:30]

[Karma Points: +2]

Detective Seo’s advice rings in his head - and Jisung decides he might as well follow his Pull. Broken glass bottles are on every corner of every street in Seoul, and he doesn’t want to waste time on a false lead. Letting his feet rush him towards the end of the street, Jisung finally realises where he’s headed towards. 

A convenience store. His soulmate was hanging about in a convenience store. Jisung guesses he might as well make the best of it and get something to drink while he’s there, and perhaps ask around if anyone has heard of the attack that happened around this area just this morning. 

The door slides open silently to let Jisung into the store, and the Pull relaxes slightly on him. He supposes it’s because Pulls aren’t that accurate that he’ll be made to trace his soulmate’s exact footsteps around the store. Deciding to just get some canned coffee, he grabs one and steps up to the counter to pay. 

“That’ll be 1,400 won,” The cashier says, and Jisung deposits some cash notes into his hand.

“Um - this will be a weird question, but did you hear anything happen around here this morning, between eight-thirty and nine? I’m a detective and there’s been an assault case on this street today.”

“An assault case? That doesn’t sound good. Well, I haven’t heard anything and I’ve been here since seven… there was only one customer in here all morning though, it’s been slow.”

Jisung tries not to let his heart leap out his throat. “Really? Do you remember what they looked like?”

“Hmm… a bit taller than you, dark hair, dark eyes. Pale skin, wearing a hoodie. Was really polite too, and bought like, milk and bread or something. Does that help, detective? I’m not really sure what’s helpful…”

“No, that’s plenty helpful,” Jisung says reassuringly and takes his coffee. “Thank you so much for your help. Did you happen to see where the man went after he left the store?"

"I know he took a right turn - I could see it through the glass - but I don't know where he went after that."

"You've been a great help," Jisung says, "thank you so much. Could you call this number and just tell them you've given evidence as a witness? It's just protocol for the investigation, don't worry." Once he's sure that the cashier doesn't have any more questions and has the number to Detective Seo, Jisung heads out onto the street again and makes a right turn onto a new street. 

_Wiheom Street_ , Jisung reads, and it's strange because his Pull that has just returned in intensity is pulling him in the same direction as where Lee Minho was headed as well. Could it be that Lee Minho was his…? 

Jisung shakes his head and puts the thought out of his mind for the moment. He has more important things to consider - like the fact that he has a new lead. Perhaps it is both his impatience as well his Pull that makes him eager to just start searching the street and try to figure out where the crime scene actually took place. But - he knows he's supposed to call Detective Seo to update him that he's got a new lead, and he should probably ask Chan to come and help him in case the assailant was still hanging around and looking for their next victim.

Time was ticking - and he needed to make his decision now.

[[Immediately head over to the road to try and find the culprit](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030560)]

[[Call Detective Seo to update him, and request for backup from Detective Bang](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030590)]


	5. Remain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions of assault

[09:30]

[Karma Points: 0]

The case was more important than his Pull, Jisung decides, even if his Pull was getting more and more insistent at tugging him towards the end of the street. Completely ignoring where his Pull was guiding him - a huge feat, considering how it feels like there’s a fifty-ton weight dragging him down - Jisung follows the trail of broken glass bottles into Gwangdae Side Street.

“The street lamp is broken, huh?” Jisung mutters to himself as he steps into the alleyway. “And the glass is all shattered too… is this where the assault happened?”

Careful not to step on any stray shards of glass, Jisung heads further into the alleyway and pulls out his phone to turn the flashlight on. The sun didn’t even reach this far back in the alleyway, and he certainly doesn’t want to step on some broken glass and get injured. There isn’t anything else that stands out to him as suspicious apart from the multitude of glass shards in the alleyway, and he hits a deadend as he shines his phone flashlight onto solid brick.

“Damn,” Jisung mutters under his breath and backtracks a little to the broken street lamp where all the broken glass seems to be collected around. “What on earth happened here?” 

Only silence meets him. It’s like this alley is sealed off from the rest of the street, and no noise meets his ears as he stands here under a broken street lamp with his phone flashlight. There are no blood stains or signs of a struggle, no pieces of torn clothing or anything that could possibly be a weapon - he’s been led on a false lead.

Sighing, Jisung takes one more trip into the alley then decides he should move on and get out of there. Right at the edge of the alley before he steps back out into the sunny main street, he takes a look back at the alley. 

It’s all so dark. He can’t see anything - not the shards of broken glass, not the street lamp, and certainly not the bricked-up deadend. There is nothing there, but something seems to be _moving_ the more Jisung looks into the darkness; it’s almost hypnotising. 

His feet move without his consciousness. One step. Another step. And one more and one more and _one more and he’s reaching his hand out to touch the street lamp that is suddenly glowing with an eerie light and_ \- 

The shrill sounds of his phone ringing startles him out of his reverie; broken glass crunches under his shoes. His hand is suspended in mid-air, nowhere near touching the broken lamp.

“... Who is this?” 

_“Detective Seo speaking, Detective Han. We’ve had a new lead while interviewing some people around Boda Alley. One of them said she heard a scuffle outside her apartment about an hour ago, and her apartment faces this side street. Do you want to come back and follow this lead?”_

Jisung turns back on his path and exits the alleyway without looking back.

“Alright. I’ll be there in a few minutes, Detective Seo. I’ll see you there, yeah?” 

_“See you, detective.”_

The phone call cuts off - and it is only then that Jisung realises something - his Pull has disappeared entirely.

**[Achievement Unlocked: Open Neutral Ending]**

[[Return to last choice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/64949731)]

[[Return to beginning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/63892735)]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [end notes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65031106#work_endnotes)


	6. Glass Bottles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions of injuries, descriptions of injuries, hospitals, implied major character death

[09:30]

[Karma Points: -2]

Working on the case would always come before this silly soulmate thing, Jisung decides, and takes a sharp turn into Gwangdae Side Alley against the strong Pull he’s feeling. Irritatedly, he shakes off the Pull, hopes that it will fade a little, just enough for him to investigate the alley without interruption.

The side street is full of broken glass, and the sun doesn’t reach far back enough so Jisung pulls out his phone to turn the flashlight on.

“Someone’s trashed this whole alley,” Jisung mutters to himself, sweeping the flashlight up and down the alley. “And this is a deadend too… I don’t think this is the lead that I was looking for.” 

Still, he takes a closer look at the broken glass - they seem to be just broken glass bottles, along with some glass from the broken street lamp above his head. There are no blood stains, torn clothing, or signs of a struggle, so Jisung guesses he has to admit defeat and turn back on his steps.

Before he can so much as turn his flashlight off, his phone starts ringing loudly.

_“Detective Han? We need you to come back immediately, there’s been a development in the case.”_

“Detective Seo? What do you mean by development?”

_“Lee-ssi is in critical condition now, and there could be a chance he won’t survive his injuries. We need to head over to the hospital right now and take his statement before -”_   
  


“Fuck,” Jisung curses, and turns around immediately, breaking into a run back to Boda Alley. “Fuck, alright, I’ll be there in - in a few minutes. You’re sure we can get there in time, Detective Seo?”

_“We have to,”_ The detective says, and his tone of voice is grim. _“We must, Han-ssi.”_

Everything is a blur then, but even Jisung can’t quite say why it is. He’s been in these situations before, rushing to the hospital to take a statement from the victim before they succumbed - but this felt different. His Pull that had become weak while he was investigation the side street remained weak, but Jisung couldn’t help but feel as if his Pull was slowly disappearing. 

_Don’t be silly_ , Jisung tells himself as he gets out of his car and rushes to get to the hospital reception. _The Pull is just fading like it always is, it’s just coincidental that I need to see Lee-ssi for an interview._

“Third floor, Intensive Care Unit,” The receptionist says. “You need to check with the doctor on duty on that floor first before you can enter, sir.”

“Thanks,” Jisung says hastily, and decides the stairs are faster than waiting for the elevator. Detective Seo is rushing up behind him, and they both make their way up the endless flights of stairs until they reach the third floor and take a sharp bank left into the intensive care unit.

“Detective Han,” Jisung says, out of breath and showing his badge to the doctor. “Here to interview Lee Minho, he arrived not too long ago for his injuries?” 

“He’s stable enough to talk,” The doctor on duty says, “follow me. Please make sure you don’t obstruct any staff who are working in the ward, and try not to overexert Lee-ssi. He may be stable enough to talk now, but that could change at any moment.”

“Thank you,” Jisung says, all airless.

Something twists at his gut when he sees the victim laying in the hospital bed, pale and unmoving but somehow smiling slightly when their eyes meet. He’s hooked up to monitors and multiple IV bags, and Jisung tries not to think about how he may not have much time left. 

“I’m Detective Han,” Jisung says, coming to sit beside the bed, “I’m the detective assigned to your case. It’s nice to meet you.”

“My name is Lee Minho,” The victim says, voice shaky. “Thank you, detective.”

“I’m going to ask you some questions, please just answer them as best as you can, yeah?” Jisung continues, and sets up the audio recording and takes out a form to fill as he does so.

“I understand,” Minho murmurs, and Jisung’s eyes flicker up to the heart monitor. 

“From existing information that I was given, you were attacked by an unknown assailant between eight-thirty and nine in the morning today. Your injuries include multiple stab wounds to your abdomen, bruises, grazes and hits to your head. Is this information correct to your knowledge?” 

“It is. I was attacked in an alley off Wiheom Street, but I don’t know the name of that alley.”

“An alley off Wiheom Street? Is it possible for you to tell me how you were found in Boda Alley then?” 

“I was dragged there,” Minho replies; he shifts a little and immediately winces. “I was half-conscious after being attacked but I know I was dragged there. I couldn’t move to call for help, and the attacker left me alone after that.”

“Did you happen to see your assailant? Could you describe them for me?”

“A man, about my age,” Minho starts, and he’s frowning a little as if he’s trying to remember the details of his attack. “Dark hair and dark eyes, pale skin. About my height too. I couldn’t really see him properly - he attacked me from behind… and - and that was that. I can’t really remember much…”

“That’s fine,” Jisung says, and tries to keep himself from glancing over at Minho’s vitals again. “Do you have any idea why the assailant attacked you?”

Minho goes to shrug, and then immediately yelps, conscious of his wounds. “I couldn’t tell you why, detective. I don’t have enemies that I know of… it was really early in the morning to be attacked though, I didn’t expect that.”

“No one expects to be attacked at any time of the day I think,” Jisung says. “Did you happen to see anyone else around you when you were attacked? How about who helped you get to the hospital?”

“I was coming out of the convenience store… I don’t think I saw anyone else around me, and not during the attack either. It was some passersby that helped me get to the hospital. I don’t know who they are…” Minho trails off.

“Convenience store? Can you tell me -” Before Jisung can finish his sentence, the heart monitor that he had been looking at every now and then starts to beep loudly, and when he glances at Minho, the man has gone ashen. 

“Nurse?” Jisung yells, and slams on the call button next to the bed.

He doesn’t quite remember much after his hand hits the call button. There is him and Detective Seo clearing away so the doctor and nurses can start seeing what happened to Minho; there is them being pushed to wait outside the ward so they aren’t in the way; there is him making multiple calls to Chan and the investigators on site with the new information that Minho had given him and hoping that they are enough leads - 

Because none of them are sure if Minho will make it through for them to conduct another interview.

They stay there until the afternoon. Then they return to the crime scene. Then the evening arrives, and late night. Jisung shakes his head when Chan offers to take him home, and he instead asks to be dropped at the hospital. 

Jisung knows long before the doctor comes out to tell him the news. 

He’s sitting outside the same ICU ward like he was just ten hours ago, except that now the murmur in his chest that has been there since he was born is silent. There is only the flatline of his own thoughts to accompany him, and Jisung pretends the devastation he feels is just because that Minho does not survive his injuries.

* * *

_Eight months later_

“The jury pronounces the defendant guilty of manslaughter, and…”

Everything else becomes white noise in Jisung’s ears. Manslaughter. Convicted of manslaughter. He wants to smile, to laugh, to look at Chan and thank him for helping on the case, but he can’t. There is only an emptiness in his chest that he has never felt in his whole life, and his neck burns when he looks at the defendant.

The gavel slams down one last time, and the defender becomes a criminal. Jisung sinks down from where he was sitting on the bench and buries his face into his hands. Tries not to let the burden he’s carrying on his shoulders break him apart.

“Hey, nice work on this case,” Chan says, patting Jisung’s shoulder. “You got the suspect even when the victim already passed. It’s the least we can do, yeah?” He doesn’t know anything about what Jisung is thinking; he doesn’t know that Jisung thinks he’s found and lost the person he was supposed to love forever in one day.

“Yeah,” Jisung says, but when he looks up again his chest is hollow. 

His Pull that had disappeared when the monitor flatlined never came back; he doesn’t feel the usual little tugs or whispers on his soul that having a Pull always did to him. And he knows that it’ll never come back now.

**[Achievement Unlocked: Bad Ending 1]**

[[Return to last choice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/64949668)]

[[Return to beginning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/63892735)]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [end notes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65031106#work_endnotes)


	7. Find Culprit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions/slight description of blood/bloodied clothes

[09:50]

[Karma Points: 0]

Time was of the essence - Jisung couldn’t waste any time by calling backup. He _needed_ to find the assailant soon, and hopefully before someone else was also assaulted. He may not have any leads on what the assailant looked like, but he’s certain that there are bound to be clues around this area, seeing as he’s retracing what should be the victim’s steps. 

Jisung tries not to think about how the victim may be his soulmate - it’s way too much for him to think about right now, and he also doesn’t want to think about if Lee Minho is stabilised in the hospital. He could call the investigators and try to pull a few strings to check if the victim is okay, but - he should focus his energy here, on trying to find leads. 

Taking the road that the shop assistant pointed him towards, Jisung finds himself heading down another main road; he had missed the name of this road, but it seems to be the same as the other road he came from, all residential and services.

Strangely, as he walks, the Pull starts fading away bit by bit.

It’s difficult to notice when he’s so strung up and trying to peer into every alleyway that he passes by, but Jisung is _sure_ of it when it’s been twenty minutes and he suddenly realises that his feet have been moving where he wants it to, not out of the Pull’s volition. With an icy pang to his heart, Jisung tries not to entertain the thoughts that abruptly crop up in his mind - _the Pull disappeared, it must mean he didn’t survive; you’ve lost your soulmate now and you’ve never even met; look at how you’ve spent your time_ \- and instead steers his attention to looking for any signs of a struggle that he can see. 

There isn’t anyone mulling about on the street, which is a little worrying. Jisung would have expected more people to be out at this time of the day, especially in a residential district. 

It takes a while more, but Jisung finally finds something that could be worth his time. It’s the upturned trash cans at the entrance to an alleyway that first catches his eye, and when he takes a few steps in, he sees a discarded jacket there, stained with blood. 

Jisung is _certain_ this jacket belongs either to the assailant or the victim - what else would a bloodied jacket be doing in this alleyway, a few steps away from some upturned trash cans that look like someone was pushed into them? 

Pausing for a moment, Jisung takes his phone out and searches for Boda Alley. From what Maps can tell him, it looks like this alleyway wasn’t a deadend, and actually leads through a few more backlanes until it reached Boda Alley, approximately a seven minute walk. 

Now, bolstered by the fact that it would have been possible for the either the victim to walk through the lanes till he reached Boda Alley where he collapsed, or for the assailant to drag the victim through the lanes until Boda Alley, where they would have left the victim, as Boda Alley was a pretty bright alleyway and dragging the victim out into the open would have attracted immediate attention.

Once again, Jisung finds himself at a crossroads of decisions. 

The fastest and most efficient way of finding leads would be for him to simply collect evidence by himself right now, and alert the investigators along the way. But - this might not be safe for him; he isn’t familiar with these alleyways, and if the assailant was prowling through these lanes, he could land himself in pretty hot waters. 

If he called the investigators now and waited for them to arrive, he would definitely have better protection but it would also mean that he was wasting precious minutes as he waited for them to arrive.

Efficiency and safety - it somehow always boiled down to this. Usually he had Chan by his side so there was someone else to watch his back too, but of course it had to be an assault case that he didn’t have Chan with him. 

Backtracking to outside the alleyway, Jisung looks around for the name of the alleyway. 

_Hwanghon Alley_ , with the upturned trash cans and the bloodied jacket, crumpled up against the stained walls. He has to make a decision now.

[[Choose to collect evidence alone](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030641)]

[[Work with the investigators to collect more evidence](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030665)]


	8. Backup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions/slight descriptions of blood/bloodied clothes

[09:50] 

[Karma Points: +3]

It would be better to update Detective Seo about the new lead he had found rather than rush ahead to try and figure everything out himself, Jisung decides. After all, he could get into trouble with the rest of the team not knowing what had happened to him and still thinking that he was out simply following his PUll. He’d rather be safe than sorry.

With that thought, Jisung stops outside the convenience store, leans against the wall where the sign _Wiheom Road_ is affixed to it and pulls his phone out to make a call to the team. 

_“Hello? This is Detective Seo speaking.”_

“Hyung! It’s me, Han. I’ve found a lead when I was following my Pull just now, are you interested or do you also have a lead?”

_“Frankly we don’t and we’ve already scoured Boda Alley. We know Boda Alley isn’t a dead end, but that’s about as much as we’ve got. There are back lanes but we don’t have enough people to send a team there for an investigation unless there’s a substantive lead.”_

“Well, come over to Wiheom Street now then. I’ll tell you about it when you arrive with the team. I’m going to call Chan-hyung too so everyone will be here.”

_“I’ll be there in five minutes.”_

In the few minutes that it takes for the team to arrive, Jisung makes another call to Chan, who responds that he’s done with whatever meeting he was scheduled for today, and promises that he’ll arrive at Wiheom Street in ten minutes. It is a twenty minute drive from the office to get here, but Jisung knows Chan will make it in half the time; he’s had personal experience.

The team doesn’t take long to arrive, and JIsung’s halfway through explaining what he’s found out when Chan turns up, out of breath and hair unruly. 

“From the top, please,” Chan says. 

Jisung rolls his eyes. “FIne, hyung. So what I was saying is that I was following my Pull and it led me down the main road to this convenience store. The cashier inside told me that only one man entered the store this morning, someone with pale skin, dark hair, and dark eyes. They also told me that the man turned right - onto this street, Wiheom Street.”

“He doesn’t know if the description matches the victim or the assailant since it’s kind of vague, but it’s a better lead than nothing,” Changbin adds.

Chan agrees with that. The team splits up then - two of the team goes into the convenience store to take the cashier’s interview officially for witnessing, and Jisung, Changbin, and Chan decide to head down Wiheom Street and try to find anything that could be a lead. There is both safety and familiarity with the three of them working together, and Jisung feels a lot better now that he isn’t blindly following a Pull without anyone knowing where he is.

Even now, his Pull is still tugging on him. It isn’t as insistent as it was before when he was Pulled towards the convenience store, but it definitely is still around and making his investigating a little more difficult than it needs to be.

With the three of them - or maybe two and a half, considering Jisung can’t stay in one place very long before he’s Pulled off somewhere else - scouring the street, it doesn’t take too long before they find something that could seem like a possible lead.

“Look at this,” Chan calls, “the trash cans here are all upturned and there’s a bloodied jacket crumpled here. If you look at how the trash cans have been pushed down… it looks like someone was pushed into them.” Chan finishes his sentence with some dramatic gestures like some crude reenactment of what he thinks happened here, and Jisung can’t help but agree even if Chan looks a little silly.

“I agree. This alleyway… Hwanghon Alley - I think this is where the assault happened. Or started, at least. My Pull - it’s kind of concentrated in this area, so I think you’re right.”

Changbin whistles lowly at that. “Lee-ssi is your soulmate? That’s certainly a way to find out…” 

Jisung shrugs. “Can’t help the Pull, can I? It’s either Lee-ssi… or the assailant but I’ll rather not think of that. Or it could be anyone that just passed through these exact same streets at the exact time of this incident.”

“Listen to yourself,” Changbin says. “Anyway, should we call the rest of the team over here to take a look at this? We need to take that jacket back to forensics for analysis since it could belong to anyone.”

“Yeah, call the team,” Jisung replies, “and we should go look in these back lanes to see if it leads to Boda Alley - oh, is that your phone?”

“Who’s calling,” Changbin grumbles, but picks up the phone anyway. “Hello, Detective Seo speaking. Who is this?”

Jisung’s about to turn away and start talking to Chan about his plan of wanting to investigate the lanes behind Hwanghon Alley when there’s a sudden warmth emanating from the centre of his chest that stops him in his tracks, feeling like the heat is travelling through his nerves. 

“Jisung?” Chan asks, mindful of Changbin still being on the phone. 

“No - yeah - sorry. It was just… I felt a weird warmth? I think it was my Pull? That was strange…” 

Before Chan can respond, Changbin’s calling out to them. 

“Hey - guys. The hospital called, they said Lee-ssi is ready to conduct the interview now, but he’ll only have one person taking the interview, and the doctor agrees too. What do you think? Who wants to go take the interview and who wants to stay here and look around?”

“I’ll stay,” Chan says. “I’ve only just gotten here, I wanna do some field work.” 

“Jisung?” Changbin asks. 

Jisung hesitates. Should he leave? His Pull, after all, did suddenly grow warm and there’s a high chance that Lee Minho _is_ his soulmate… but he’s so close to finding out who the assailant might be. If he stays a little longer, he could do just that. 

[[Continue with the investigation and collect evidence at Hwanghon Alley](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030881)]

[[Head over to the hospital to visit Lee Minho and conduct an interview with him](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030980)]


	9. Lone Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions/slight descriptions of blood/bloodied clothing

[10:45]

[Karma Points: -3]

_I can’t waste anymore time_ , Jisung thinks to himself, eyeing the bloodied jacket apprehensively. He’s seen his fair share of blood in his career as a detective, but this gives him more chills than normal. _I can just call the rest of the team as I investigate, I’ll be fine. I can call for backup too and ask to meet them halfway._

Steeling himself to enter the alleyway, he texts the location of Hwanghon Alley to Detective Seo and then immediately calls him, taking a few steps into the dimness of the alleyway.

_“Detective Han? Have you found your Pull?”_

“No - no I haven’t. I found leads though, which is more important to us, isn’t it? I’ve texted you the location, but basically I found upturned trash cans and a bloodied jacket near the entrance of Hwanghon Alley, which has backlanes leading to Boda Alley. I think this might be where the struggle started, and where Lee-ssi was dragged to, depending on what I find.”

_“You’ve found the alleyway? That’s great, detective! I’ll head over with a few members of the squad right now, will you be waiting for us there or are you going ahead?”_

“I’ll be going ahead, but do call me when you arrive. We can’t afford to waste any time, can we? Do you have any updates on the victim’s condition?”

_“There hasn’t been any updates from the hospital so I’m assuming he’s in a stable condition, but I can always make a call to the hospital to check up for you. We’ll be heading over to Hwanghon Alley now, so I’m going to hang up, detective. Watch your back.”_

“Yes, yes, I know,” Jisung says, but even he feels a little apprehensive that his brazenness cannot mask. “I’ll see you in a while, Detective Seo.” 

The call ends there, and Jisung can’t help the goosebumps that rise on the back of his neck. It’s not cold, there is no wind blowing through where he is surrounded by residential blocks, but he can’t help but feel like the heat of the morning has abruptly disappeared. 

Shaking himself out of it, Jisung walks further into Hwanghon Alley, ignoring the jacket. He isn’t about to tamper with what likely is a crucial piece of evidence - he’ll leave that to the team to deal with and send to the forensic analysts. Further down in this alleyway leads no further clues - only stained cement walls and the smell of dank, still air, but Jisung presses on.

It isn’t until Hwanghon Alley gives way to a large back lane where many surrounding smaller alleys lead to that Jisung begins to spot signs of a fight - _assault_.

More toppled over recycling bins, blood stains on the street and the wall, the splatter of water everywhere like someone was pushed into the puddle of air-conditioner water. Jisung is _sure_ now that this is where the assault occurred, and he tries to look for the name of this large back lane.

Searching the back lane gives him no clues - perhaps he has just missed it, or there isn’t a street sign - so he pulls his phone out and tries looking on Maps again. The signal here is very weak, and Jisung has to wait a good minute for Maps to even load before he gets to look at where he is.

_Kkeut Lane_. 

And from what he can see, Kkeut Lane is simply a lane where all the other small alleyways lead out to. There’s only one way to exit from Kkeut Lane - and it leads to Boda Alley. Jisung can already feel success within reach and he’s just about ready to return to Hwanghon Alley to inform the investigators that his evidence collecting - or observation, really - is successful when a sudden, strong tug to his soul stops him in his tracks. 

His Pull is back.

Conflicted, Jisung freezes on the spot. Surely, it couldn’t hurt that he followed his Pull now, since he’s technically finished with his job? But… he’s in a dangerous back lane with an assailant possibly prowling about, and he would rather not find out where his Pull goes. 

But could he really just ignore his Pull? Wouldn’t he be compelled to follow it anyway?

[[Head back to Hwanghon Alley to wait for the investigators](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65031052)]

[[Follow the Pull to the back doors of a nearby residential block](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65031106)]


	10. Teamwork

[10:45]

[Karma Points: 0]

It’s too dangerous for him to try and find leads alone - even if he’s impatient, he should prioritise his own safety. Better to wait and call for backup rather than forge head alone and possibly land himself in hot waters with an assailant prowling around in this area. 

_“Hello, Detective Han?”_

“Detective Seo. I’ve found some leads from following my Pull. Did you receive the call from a convenience store cashier?”

_“I did, yeah. He described someone with pale skin and dark hair and eyes - we got it all on tape and everything so you don’t need to worry about evidence collecting. But we don’t know if this is a description of the assailant’s features until we take the interview with Lee-ssi. Are you sure you’ve received plausible leads?”_

“I am. I’m outside Hwanghon Alley - I’ll text you the address - and there are upturned trash cans and a bloodied jacket here. It’s a residential district with no bars or clubs nearby, so I don’t see why there should be such a commotion here. I’m almost sure that the assault happened here… or if it didn’t happen here it at least _started_ here.”

_“Well, we might as well head over there since you’re sure of this lead. Boda Alley has been investigated and there aren’t any more leads that are as strong as the one you have right now.”_

“Sure, I’ll give you the address, and… and is there any update about the condition of the victim?”

_“The victim? Well, we haven’t received any further information from the hospital, so I’m assuming Lee-ssi is doing fine. Do you want to know more information about his condition? We are visiting him in like, fifteen minutes though, so…?”_

“Oh - oh no, that’s fine. I was just wondering. Come on over then, quickly, before we need to go again.”

Jisung hangs up on the call and spends a good minute squinting into the depths of Hwanghon Alley where the dark seems to shift and move; he can’t see anything further inside the alley, and an apprehensive feeling creeps up his back, settles around his neck like a cold vice grip. Stepping further away from the alleyway and out into the late morning sunshine, Jisung pulls up Maps and tries to see if there’s a road behind the alleyway.

Zooming in on his location, Maps tells him just as much as he already knows - _Hwanghon Alley_ shows up on the map like he expected it too. When he navigates around the area, _Kkeut Lane_ shows up as where Hwanghon Alley leads into, and Jisung traces a path, following Kkeut Lane until - it spills out into Boda Alley. 

_This must be it_.

It _has_ to be - this must be where the assault started, and Jisung thinks that perhaps the assailant dragged Lee Minho through these back lanes until they reached Boda Alley and Lee Minho was left there. Boda Alley, after all, led out into the main road and was a brightly lit road, especially in the morning when the sun was shining.

Jisung is sure now that this is where everything started, and all he has to do is wait for the rest of the team to arrive and they’ll get one step closer to identifying the assailant.

Everything doesn’t take long to happen.

The team turns up two minutes later, and Jisung rapidly explains the conclusions he drew to them with some vague, sweeping gestures and referencing heavily to Maps. For the most part, the team agrees with him, and Detective Seo even tells him that Chan is on his way here right now. The team splits into groups of three when Chan arrives and they scour Kkeut Alley for clues, with another group bagging up the jacket to take back to forensics.

Kkeut Alley is empty but it feels like something is _alive_ as they move through the lane and towards Boda Alley.

Even with this unsettling feeling, nothing happens to them as they reach Boda Alley, and just in time too - the hospital calls them then, telling them that Lee Minho is ready to sit through an interview and that they should hurry over to the hospital before their permitted time slot elapses. Hurriedly, they make their way to Chan’s car and cram in; Jisung looks through the photos they took while Changbin calls the rest of the team to start heading back as well.

They reach the hospital in no time - Chan’s driving is certainly something to experience - and they’re ushered into the ward where Lee Minho has been placed in. The interview is typical, with them drawing from a list of usual questions that they alter slightly to fit this situation. There is a strange feeling in his chest as he takes the interview from Lee Minho. It’s like… he’s lost something. 

And weirdly, when he meets Lee Minho’s gaze, it feels like something has broken even before anything has started.

It isn’t until weeks later when the trial has started that Jisung finally realises where this emptiness stems from. He’s sitting on the hard benches of the local criminal court watching the assailant in the dock when he places this feeling. 

The feeling that his Pull has forever been lost.

It’s not uncommon for Pulls to disappear - people moved overseas, or they were too far away, or they were ill - but… Jisung can’t feel anything Pulling on him at all. The little whispers and tugs on his entire being that has accompanied him since he was a child is completely silent and no matter how much he concentrates on trying to feel it, there isn’t anything. 

There is only quiet.

And here, as Jisung looks between Lee Minho and the assailant with his unnaturally quiet soul, he can’t help but feel like he’s missed something as he tried to reach where he is now.

(the judge bangs down on the gavel.)

“You okay?” Chan asks, pressing a hand on Jisung’s shoulder.

(jisung opens his eyes in time to see the assailant being led away from the dock again. _guilty_. when did he close his eyes?)

“I’m fine.”

It’s not uncommon to lose a soulmate, after all.

**[Achievement Unlocked: Closed Neutral Ending]**

[[Return to last choice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030560)]

[[Return to beginning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/63892735)]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [end notes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65031106#work_endnotes)


	11. Continue Investigation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions of assault, hospitals

[10:45]

[Karma Points: +3]

“I… I’ll stay,” Jisung says. “We’re so close to finding out where all of this goes, I’m sure we’ll find the assailant soon too.”

“So I’ll go and take the interview?” Changbin reconfirms. “That’s great - you guys meet me there when you’re done, alright? Ah - Im-ssi, yes, I’ll be there at the hospital in fifteen minutes… that’s great, thank you!” 

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital to conduct the interview yourself?” Chan asks Jisung. “Isn’t your soulmate…?” 

“I don’t know for sure, and this is more important than some soulmate thing. I’ll always find my Pull again, but if we don’t catch this person we might not be able to do that again.” 

“Well - if you say so, Jisung.”

Changbin leaves them a minute after that, and he and Chan venture down Hwanghon Alley. It’s disconcertingly dark in this alleyway for ten in the morning, and Jisung draws closer to Chan, both of them carefully looking around. They eventually emerge into a larger back lane called Kkeut Lane, surrounded on all sides by other alleyways and the back entrances of apartment buildings except for one side - 

“Look,” Jisung murmurs. “To the right - there’s a way out of here. Do you think it leads to Boda Alley?” 

“There’s a good probability it does,” Chan replies. “Stay alert. Let’s walk over there and find out?” 

It’s silent as they walk through the darkened back lanes, illuminated only a patch of blue sky above their heads where the apartment buildings reach up to the sky. Kkeut Lane is longer than it seems to be, and they pass by several other alleyways, leading out to different parts of the road; every now and then Jisung will see someone walking by and he gets shocked at it every time.

Walking here feels oddly like they’re the only ones here, like time has stopped just in this lane. 

“You’re right, Jisung - look,” Chan says after they’ve spent a good ten minutes walking through Kkeut Lane. “This is the sign for Boda Alley. This means that if we’re right and that jacket belongs to the victim, Lee-ssi was ambushed in Hwanghon Alley, dragged through Kkeut Lane and then was left in Boda Alley where he was found by passersby. If this matches the statement that Lee-ssi gives -”

“- Then we’re basically done,” Jisung says, nods as well. “We just need to establish a motive and find a suspect. We can hand this case over soon as well too. Should we head over to the hospital now? Do you know if the rest of the team has arrived at Hwanghon Alley to bag the jacket up?” 

“Yeah, they have,” Chan says, waving his phone. “I texted them already, and they said they’ve done it. Do you want to head over to the hospital now? Changbin might be done with the interview already.”

“Alright. Let’s go.” 

Jisung takes the car ride to think about his Pull. His Pull that had disappeared the moment he chose to stay here and continue the investigation rather than visit the hospital. And - what was with the sudden warmth that had thrown him off just fifteen minutes ago? He’ll have to search online about what that meant. 

After all, work comes first. Jisung - he doesn’t know what to do if Lee-ssi is _actually_ his soulmate. What is he supposed to do? 

But his Pull doesn’t come back. It doesn't return when Chan parks his car, it doesn’t return when they walk through the double doors of the hospital, it doesn’t return when they meet Changbin coming out of the ward where Lee Minho is staying at. 

“I’ve got it all,” Changbin says, waving the recorder. “We can go over what we’ve got downstairs.” 

The Pull doesn’t return.

Maybe it’s because Jisung never manages to meet Lee Minho after all. He’s busy with the discussion between the three of them, and then he has to rush back to the office to report a few things, and then… he simply forgets. His Pull has never been a huge priority in his life, and so when he finally remembers Lee Minho, it is already far too late. 

“He’s already been discharged,” Chan tells him a month later when they’re working on a new case. “You might be able to see him at the trial though, if you want to.” 

Jisung shakes his head. “No, I was just wondering. I hope he’s okay. Besides… I can’t attend that trial. I have - to fly overseas that day.”

“If you say so.” 

Jisung smiles, turns back to his computer screen. Of course he says so. That’s… that’s what he has to do, right? He throws himself back into work again so he doesn’t t=need to think about the strangely quiet humming of his Pull.

(he hears from changbin anyway that the trial succeeded and the assailant was convicted. jisung makes no move to mention lee minho or anything about his pull; after all, it’s been a good six months since he has felt anything. At the very least, he knows that this time justice has played its best cards.)

**[Achievement Unlocked: Good Ending]**

[[Back to last choice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030590)]

[[Back to beginning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/63892735)]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [end notes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65031106#work_endnotes)


	12. Hospital Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: mentions of assault, mentions of injuries

[10:45]

[Karma Points: +4]

“I’ll go to the hospital and do the interview,” Jisung offers. “I might as well go, my Pull is being annoying and I don’t think I;ll be of much help if I hang around here. Besides, you know what to do here.” 

“Ah - Im-ssi, yes, Detective Han will be the one to conduct the interview. You’ll meet him at reception? Okay - sure, thank you so much!”

“I’ll meet Lee-ssi at the hospital reception?”

“No, it’s the supervisor. She’ll take you up to the ward where he’s staying in and you can get the interview done there. We’ll scout this area while you do, and we’ll meet you at the hospital, yeah?”

Like clockwork, Jisung starts the familiar routine of rushing to the hospital to take an interview, like he has done multiple times already. In his head are the questions that he needs to ask, and he races through each one, tweaking them a little to fit the current situation. Even if this routine is familiar, there is something like  _ anticipation _ bubbling up into his chest - 

_ Lee Minho might be his soulmate _ .

Unconsciously, Jisung quickens his pace, almost breaking into a run as he tries to reach the hospital; strangely, his Pull seems to be tugging him in the exact same direction of the hospital, and with each step that he takes, the more convinced he is that Lee Minho  _ is  _ his soulmate, and that he has been following Lee Minho’s footsteps this whole morning.

It takes a big effort for Jisung not to run up to the ward where Lee Minho is located in, and a bigger effort not to simply start spouting soulmate nonsense when he meets Lee Minho for the first time.

Their meeting is made bashful and polite by the presence of the supervisor and doctor, and Jisung is able to turn off his other thoughts for the most part when he starts the interview - which is as good of an interview as he could possibly get. The route in which Lee Minho had taken this morning matches the one he was discussing with CHan and Changbin, and the description of the assailant means Jisung can put out a notice.

“Thank you for your help today, Lee-ssi,” Jisung says, shutting off the recorder and keeping his pen away. “It must have been a dreadful experience, I really am sorry about that.” 

“It has,” Lee Minho agrees, wincing when he moves. “Are we done now? Is the interview over?” 

“It is,” Jisung replies, “you’ve done well, Lee-ssi. Thank you for your cooperation. I will be taking my leave now, unless you need anything else from me?” 

“Um - wait! This… this is a weird question but - you… you feel it too, right, detective?” Lee Minho asks quietly. “The Pull. It is -”

“- It’s between us,” Jisung agrees. He hesitates, then takes a step closer towards Minho, feels the Pull tug him ever so much nearer. “You sent me on a wild chase today because of the Pull.”

“Couldn’t really help that, could I?” Lee Minho says, and he laughs a little. It sounds gorgeous.

“I suppose not,” Jisung says, smiling. “When… when you’re better - and when this is all over - do you want to… have a coffee with me?” 

“Just a coffee?” Lee Minho asks, and there is a twinkle in his eyes; Jisung feels like he’s seen this exact same light before in another life. “I get out of the hospital and you want to celebrate it with just a coffee?” 

“Fine, how about dinner?” Jisung offers. “That’s a better celebration than coffee, I think?” 

“Dinner with you sounds lovely,” Minho says, the softest smile edged onto his lips. Jisung can feel his chest grow warm where their Pulls connect them to each other. “If… if you’re not busy, I still want to cash in on that coffee offer of yours.”

“You’re in the hospital?” 

“Doesn’t mean you can’t bring coffee for us,” Lee Minho retorts. “Think about it, Han Jisung. You’re going to have to wait a month to see me if you wait for our dinner but if you bring us coffee, you can see me at least once a week.”

“I’d be delighted to see you at least once a week,” Jisung says, and doesn’t even bother to hide how wide his smile is. After all, he’s sure Minho can feel the happiness radiating between their Pulls.

“Me too,” Minho murmurs, smiling up at him, and for a moment, Jisung’s Pull quivers wildly like it’s settling their meetings from each and every life that they have ever lived. 

_ I have found you again,  _ The light in Minho’s eyes says, and it reflects golden and silver, brighter than any jewels Jisung has ever seen. 

_ I am thankful to have found you again,  _ Jisung says wordlessly when he holds Minho’s hand for a while, just long enough to squeeze. 

“I’ll be back,” Jisung calls, “need to meet the rest of the team about this.”

“I’ll be here,” Minho says, and he laughs with it.

The Pull settles between them, quivering, but at peace.   
  


**[Achievement Unlocked: Perfect Ending]**

[[Return to last choice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030590)]

[[Return to beginning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/63892735)]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [end notes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65031106#work_endnotes)


	13. Hwanghon Alley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: descriptions of attempted assault, attempted kidnapping

[11:00]

[Karma Points: -4]

_No, I need to return to Hwanghon Alley,_ Jisung decides. It had already been a dangerous decision to walk through this back lane alone without anyone to watch his back, and he isn’t about to run off and follow his Pull to who-knows-where.

Jisung takes a sweeping look of Kkeut Alley before making quick steps towards the back entrance of Kkeut Alley. He hadn’t realised how far he had walked away from Kkeut Alley, and now it seems like it takes an age to even see the street sign indicating where Kkeut Alley is, what with all the signs that look the same. Already, he has made two wrong turns into two different alleys, mistaking them for Kkeut Alley. 

He’s getting antsy from how long it seems to take him to reach Kkeut Alley, and it’s getting harder and harder for him to ignore the Pull. He can feel how heavy his legs are becoming, how his every atom in his body is Pulling him in the opposite direction, towards wherever his soulmate is supposed to be. 

_Keep going, keep going, keep going - !_

There is the sound of footsteps running towards him, fast and _loud_ in this alleyway with only one road out, and Jisung’s heartbeat rushes up to his ears. Instinctively, he starts running too, blood rushing at a hundred beats a minute, and suddenly Kkeut Alley materialises in his eyes, just metres away from him. 

He almost overshoots past the entrance, but he catches himself just in time and makes a sharp turn, dashes through the alley and he’s so close to making it out into the light, he’s so close that he can _see_ the light, he can even see some of his team mulling about close to the main entrance of the alleyway and - 

_The footsteps get louder behind him and his Pull gets stronger all the while._

Even though his legs become solid steel weights because of how strong the Pull is, Jisung perseveres, adds a boost of energy and topples out into the sunlight - but he isn’t safe yet. 

Not when a figure emerges from Kkeut Lane right behind him and grabs the back of Jisung’s neck, arm stretched out. Jisung feels - _feels_ \- the fingers clasp his neck, hot and burning and _painful_ and he’s tugged back by the movement, yelling as he goes and for a moment his Pull scalds his whole body, lights it up until he feels like he’s _on fire_ and then - 

Everything happens all at once. 

His Pull settles down into something calmer but still hot, pulsing right beneath his skin like it’s flowing through his arteries. 

The fingers disappear from the back of his neck, but Jisung still feels the shape of them like they will always be there, white-hot in his nerves.

His teams swarms around them, pulling them apart and holding the person who grabbed him away. 

“Who are you and why did you grab the detective?” Detective Seo immediately barks out, standing in between Jisung and the man. 

Jisung steadies himself on his feet, reaches up to rub the back of his neck and turns around to look at exactly who had grabbed his neck and made his Pull settle. 

Pale skin. Dark hair. Dark eyes. A hoodie. 

Innocuous features and clothes really - but the words of the convenience store cashier rings loudly in his head. So the person his Pull had led him to follow… it wasn’t the victim. It was - 

“Fine, you caught me,” The man says, and when he smiles it is unnervingly calm. “Take me away and lock me up then, detective. Today you have won.” His voice is smooth, almost prettily so, and Jisung feels sick to the pit of his stomach for even thinking of that.

Detective Seo starts asking more questions about that, about what the man means by what he has just said, but Jisung is frozen to the ground in shock. Now, as he stands here under the sunlight with Detective Seo between him and the man, he feels cold. 

_Today you have won_. 

Chills run down his spine, and he tries not to think of what might have happened if he had followed his Pull to wherever it was trying to take him to. And now - this man that is calmly reciting what he had done to the victim earlier this morning, that he had assaulted the victim and left him in Boda Alley - _this man had tried to do the same to him_.

Jisung feels sick. He can’t meet the eyes of this man, not even when he has looked serial killers in the eyes before. 

“Next time, Detective Han,” The man says, smiling. “We will meet each other again.”

Jisung turns away. He can still feel the shape of the man’s fingers burning the back of his neck. 

His Pull has settled, thrumming - he’s found his soulmate.

**[Achievement Unlocked: Bad Ending 2]**

[[Return to last choice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030641)]

[[Return to beginning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/63892735)]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [end notes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65031106#work_endnotes)


	14. The Apartment of Kkeut Alley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: kidnapping, guns, violence, murder, major character death

[11:00]

[Karma Points: -5]

There is simply no point in resisting his Pull, even if he wasn’t in a very safe area at this moment. If the worse comes to the worse - he knows where the nearest exit out into the main road is, and he’ll just make a run for it. He’s got enough wits about him not to get like… kidnapped or something, and he knows more than a few self-defence techniques. It all came along with the job, didn’t it?

Carefully, Jisung turns until he’s facing the direction that his Pull seems to want to take him to. Strangely enough, it doesn’t point him towards Boda Alley like he thought it would - instead, it directs his feet towards the back entrance of an apartment block that isn’t very different from the rest. It’s a block of grey and white, with green recycling bins and yellow trash bags sitting near it. 

_The apartment block doesn’t look too shady…_ Jisung thinks to himself, and steels himself to approach it. He doesn’t think he’ll actually walk _into_ the apartment - just outside, or perhaps past the apartment block and round the corner to wherever that leads to.

Finally surrendering to the insistent Pull, Jisung lets it tug him until he comes to a stop right outside the apartment building. It looks oddly familiar, even if it is coloured the exact same as every other building around this area. 

His Pull doesn’t lead him this time. 

This time, it is muscle memory that takes him through the doors and into the apartment building; muscle memory that keys in the code to the lobby; muscle memory that makes him take the elevator to the fifth floor; muscle memory that lands him outside the second unit. 

Without even thinking about why he’s doing it, Jisung presses on the doorbell - 

And everything happens before he can think about it.

The door opening - a pair of eyes, more tired than he has ever seen - the scent of acrylic paint and gasoline - the overwhelming sensation that suddenly floods his soul as his Pull thrums wildly - darkness.

It’s a while before Jisung comes to again. 

The scents of acrylic paint and gasoline are what makes him wake up. Slowly, his eyes open, and then he rolls his shoulders. Where is he? It looks like he’s in an apartment, dimly lit and blinds drawn. 

_You’ve woken up, Detective Han._

“What the fuck!” Jisung yells, and makes to stand up from the chair where he was placed in, but a pair of hands press him back down into the chair firmly from behind. 

_I didn’t mean to startle you_ , The voice says, and then the hands leave Jisung’s shoulders. The owner of the voice draws into sight - pale skin; dark hair and dark eyes; a hoodie. _Recognise me, Detective?_

“You,” Jisung breathes, “you’re the one that attacked Lee Minho.”

_I only wanted to help you find me_ , This man croons, and his hands are stained with blood. _So you did find me, didn’t you, Detective Han? Must have been a fun trip for you to end up making these choices. I do not envy you, not this time._

“Let me out,” Jisung says, as calm as he can be, but he knows this is the end for him. He can feel it, even though it is early yet to see how things will play out. “There are people looking for me, they know where I am.”

_Do you really think the fates care about that? You will only remember me, Detective Han,_ The man whispers, _My name is Lee Minho. You will only remember me from here on now._

“Lee Minho… you have - you have the same name -”

_It doesn’t matter what our names are. We are one and the same, Detective. You didn’t make some good choices this time, did you?_

“You’re already in big trouble for an assault of that gravity,” Jisung says calmly even though his heart is already racing at two hundred beats. “You’re better off just letting me go, Lee-ssi. You’ll be a murderer if you go through with this.”  
  


_It doesn’t matter_ , Lee Minho says. His voice sounds almost flighty; in another world Jisung might have found this voice beautiful. _Did you not hear what I just said? We are one and the same - the things I do are of no consequence after you close your eyes, Detective. Nothing can hurt me in this domain._ Jisung still finds his voice beautiful.

“You’re talking nonsense,” Jisung replies, feels strangely frozen even when there are no ropes bounding him. He could try and leave if he even wanted to. Lee Minho isn’t even holding a weapon of any sort; the door is ten feet away. “You’re talking a lot for someone that’s kidnapped me here, Lee-ssi.”

_Do I need to keep repeating myself? I did not bring you here - you brought yourself here, Detective. I exist in this capacity because you chose to come here out of your own volition._ Lee Minho stops walking then, stops and faces Jisung, five feet away. Half the distance. 

“Let me go,” Jisung says quietly. 

_I am sorry,_ Lee Minho says, and he looks almost regretful. _I truly am. I cannot do that, I am afraid. We belong together, Detective, which is unfortunate, especially on your part._

“Then - let me ask you something.”

_Please do._

“You said - that you are Lee Minho. And you are - _him_. That there is only one of you.”

_You are catching on, Detective._

“You are doing the impossible.”

_Nothing is impossible, Detective. Why do you think we have soulmates?_ Lee Minho raises a hand, presses it over his heart and - Jisung feels the phantom pressure over his own chest like he's pressing on his own heart too. His Pull thrums peacefully, a quarter pace of the beat of his heart, and Jisung can’t believe he’s looking at his soulmate. It should be impossible, and yet.

_You feel that right, Detective? You know that I am not lying for you can feel it too. Do you believe me now?_

And - and against all his wishes, against all his logic, against everything that he is - Jisung does. Jisung believes Lee Minho. Believes it in the dried blood on Lee Minho’s forehead; believes it in the bruises etched over Lee Minho’s knuckles; believes it in the scattered bullets over Lee Minho’s apartment floor. There are bigger forces here than just him and Lee Minho.

He still does even when Lee Minho produces a gun, presses it to his own heart. 

“I am him,” Lee Minho murmurs, “and he is I. We are one and the same - you have been destined to only pain when you chose this road, Han Jisung.”

Jisung laughs, tips his head back and looks up at Lee Minho, breathes in acrylic paint and gasoline; feels like he’s breathing in the way to his demise. “You don’t need to tell me that again, Minho. I think I’ve accepted that, seeing as I haven’t tried to run away.”

Lee Minho steps closer, keeps his hand steady on the gun. “I suppose you are right, Han Jisung.”

An extended pause. 

Lee Minho would have already pulled the gun if he wanted this over. Jisung tries again. 

“We could leave here together,” Jisung offers. “You said you would suffer no consequences. You’ve found me.” _You could try and find happiness where you have only known anger for once in your life_.

The pause breaks. “The Pull hurts me,” Lee Minho whispers, and Jisung looks into his eyes for the first time. “I have known only pain for every day of my life that my Pull has existed. I was told it would only hurt more when I found my soulmate.” 

Jisung cannot make anything else out other than anguish in this pair of tired eyes. “And… and are they right?” 

“Yes - and no,” Lee Minho says, pauses then. His hand laxes down on the gun; Jisung stands up and reaches out to steady Lee Minho’s hand, curls a hand over Minho’s own. His hand is cold.

“What does that mean?” 

“Yes - as in it hurts. It hurts _so bad_. You have no idea, Han Jisung. You must understand that there is no cure for this, none at all. I was left to be in pain, and I have given up. But… but at the same time - I am happy. To find you. Is this what the Pull is supposed to feel like? A guaranteed happiness?” Minho laughs harshly at that, and his fist trembles in Jisung’s. “What bullshit! I have known only pain my whole life because of this nonsense.” 

“It would be nice for your pain to ease,” Jisung murmurs. 

Minho looks at him at that. His gaze is so bright even though he is tired. “There is a way,” He says, but it’s so soft that if it weren’t for the unusual silence of this apartment, Jisung wouldn’t have caught it.

“There is?” 

Minho nods. Jisung’s eyes drift down to the gun. A wordless answer. 

“Death?” 

“Almost,” Minho answers, “not quite. If I die now, I will be free of the pain… but someone else will have to bear the pain.” His gaze is as steady as his hand.

_Death would certainly be a respite from the pain,_ Jisung thinks to himself, and is strangely calm when he thinks of it. “You want me to bear your pain?” 

“It is not of my want,” Minho replies, and his hands become warmer within Jisung’s grasp. “This is nothing if the both of us do not agree to it.”

Standing here, with his hand on Minho’s hand, a gun clasped in their grip, in this small apartment that feels like the one space where time has no control over - Jisung throws everything to the wind. Here, he is not Jisung. Here, there are bigger things at play. 

“Let me relieve your pain,” Jisung says, and feels like he’s said these words before. “Let me be the one to bear our pain this time.”

There is a small pause, and then the gun grows warm between their hands. “Find me again,” Lee Minho says, and it is right then and there - on the doorstep of his death, that Lee Minho smiles. 

Jisung freezes that one small smile, bloody lips and tired eyes, into his memory.

The trigger is pulled.

  
  
  


Silence.

  
  
  
  


Han Jisung stands in the middle of a too-quiet apartment. He cannot quite remember who he is, or where he is. It takes a while for him to notice, but there is a pool of blood around his feet, and it looks like it’s coming from him. Strangely - he doesn’t feel pain. 

Raising a hand to his chest, Jisung presses a hand over his heart; it comes away damp and palm stained with blood.

_Where am I? Who am I? Why can’t I remember anything? There is no one around me, what am I even doing here -_

His chest flares up with a sudden, stabbing pain. It’s accompanied by an insistent, demanding pull on his entire body and it feels like his entire soul is on fire, coiling and uncoiling until he can’t breathe and all he can think of is the _pain_.

_How did you live like this?_ Some deep part of his soul, eons-old, screams, and it claws at every inch of his consciousness, wants to drag him down to the pits of this endless pain. _I cannot do this without you. I must find you, I must find you, I must find you._

“I must find you,” Han Jisung pants, opening his eyes. He is kneeled over in this pool of blood that is not his own and he cannot remember anything apart from the _pain_. 

There is only one thing he knows - he has to find whoever is on the other side of this tug on his soul. 

He _must_. 

There is no other choice.

**[Achievement Unlocked: Worst Ending]**

[[Return to last choice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/65030641)]

[[Return to beginning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249179/chapters/63892735)]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh if youre here reading this, youve probably obtained one ending!! congratulations!!! i hope that youve had playing this interactive au ive spent a lot of time on it hshhshd and the logistics of it is just ridiculous to figure out do not ask me how i planned it because ive blanked it out of my mind and the choice tree i drew is so fucked up 
> 
> anyway! i thought id just make a little explanation about the different endings :>
> 
> the neutral endings are simply endings based on the concept that "you met the right person but not at the right time"! many things can get in the way and so there are 2 neutral endings that you can obtain - one open, which is when the case is still ongoing; and one closed, where the trial has concluded.
> 
> there are two 'good' endings. one is simply the 'good' ending where the assailant is found, but minsung never meet; the other is the 'perfect' ending, where minsung do meet, and start the path to getting together! 
> 
> the bad endings are the endings that are most interesting to me. from the very start, detective soulmate was meant to be a mostly dark story because i was intrigued with the twisted soulmate au concept, and the idea of this soulmate au - the Pulls - is actually inspired by a headcanon from my friend bri who was spamming my dms about this a couple weeks ago!! (thank u bri hehe <333)
> 
> the bad endings all vary in their own way, which for me was interesting because even in a soulmate verse, there are other things at play here that means one cannot easily find their soulmate, no matter how "meant to be" they are. the worst ending is the ending i have spent more time on, mainly because i hint there that minsung are actually a pair of star-crossed lovers...... maybe pain-crossed? essentially, they are the soulmates that are stuck in a cycle of neverending pain and so shows that not everything in a soulmate au is easy! 
> 
> also id just like to mention that though this takes place in Seoul, none of the street names are real. i just took them from google translate lol like 'hwanghon' means dust and 'kkeut' means end!!
> 
> overall, i hope that this has been something nice to fill your time!! its definitely dark if you choose the dark endings shshdhd but i still hope it has been enjoyable <33 i will be returning in october with at least one fic lol so i hope everyone is staying safe!!

**Author's Note:**

> here is my [Tumblr](https://yeongwonlino.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/yeongwonlino/)


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